Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium (R) home ground of Olympiacos, in the coastal region of Piraeus (Image: Getty)

Foreign Office issues warning to all Rangers fans travelling to Greece for clash with Olympiacos

by · Daily Record

Get the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

Join us on WhatsApp

Rangers are making the trip to Piraeus to take on Olympiacos in a Europa League showdown at Stadio Georgios Karaiskaki today (Thursday, November 7).

Rangers have defeated Malmo and Steaua Bucharest and lost out to Lyon so far leaving them with six points out of nine - exactly the same as Olympiacos.

Unsurprisingly, many Rangers fans are jetting out to Greece to support their team for what promises to be a fiery clash - however, the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has issued an important warning to anyone planning to travel to see the match.

In a recent update on their website, the FCDO wrote. "Athens will host the UEFA Europa League on Thursday 7 November between OLYMPIACOS and RANGERS FC.

"If you are travelling to Athens for the match, you should plan your movement around the city to arrive at the stadium well in advance of the match kick-off and follow the instructions of the local authorities," it added.

The Foreign Office also urged fans to "take care of your personal possessions including passports, especially in crowds and on public transport," Birmingham Live reports.

Rangers boss Philippe Clement speaks to the media ahead of facing Olympiacos

Having your passport nicked is a very real possibility in the busy environment of a packed stadium, but losing the vital travel pass in Greece is a giant headache, to say the least.

In order to be allowed to travel back to Scotland, you'll need to make an appointment at the British Embassy in Athens to get an emergency travel document, plus there's a hefty fee of £100 for the admin involved.

On their website, the Embassy say they can also add on additional "direct costs" on top of the £100 fee, so that might hurt your wallet further.

However, that's not all. The Foreign Office have also issued a second, separate warning to all travellers to the country, not just footy fans.

It went on: "Greek authorities have increased security at some prominent locations, including tourist sites, due to events in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. There is currently a heightened risk of such protests, particularly in central Athens.

"Stay aware of your surroundings, stay away from protests."

The UEFA Europa League match between Olympiacos and Rangers will be available to watch and stream online live through TNT Sports 3 tonight.

Latest travel stories

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our newsletter here.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.